Ratchet tool



1934- o. c. WIEDEMANN 1,970,409

RATCHET TOOL Filed Sept. 27, 1952 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIII I I 4 ATTOR 5:1

Patented Aug. 14, 1934 PATENT OFFICE Un t s-of. STATES 7 RATCHET' 'roor. Olaf cawiedemann, Beachmont, Mass. Application September 27, 1932, Serial No. 635,013

1 Claim.

- This invention'relates to hand implements of the type in which a'ratchet action is necessary or desirable. I

It aims to provide an article of this character which can be used for a great variety of purposes and which will be exceptionally sturdy and reliable, while at the same time being economical to manufacture.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an implement constructed in accordance with this invention, and adapted especially for use in connection with a printers quoin, one form of which also is shown in this figure;

Fig. 2 is a, plan View of the implement shown in Fig. 1 with the cap removed;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views of the cap and body of the implement, respectively;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a slightly different form of the invention; and

Fig. 6 is a side view of still another form of the invention.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the device there shown comprises a T-shaped handle including a bar 2 adapted to be gripped in the hand, and a hollow shank 3 extending, at right angles to the bar. The bar is divided longitudinally into a lower main or body section A, preferably integral with the shank, and an upper, cap or cover section B. Extending through the shank 3 is a shaft 4 having a running fit with the handle so that it can revolve freely therein, and the tool or work engaging member of the I implement is carried by this shaft. In the parratchet action, a toothed Wheel 8 is secured fast on the upper end of the shaft 4 to rotate therewith, and a double acting pawl 10' is mounted on a pivot stud 12 in operative relationship to the wheel 8 where it can be swung into either the full or dotted line positions shown in Fig.

2. In one of these positions the tapered end 13,

of the pawl engages the teeth of the wheel 8,

while in the other position the opposite tapered end 14 will engage said teeth. That portion of the pawl 10 at the side of the pivot opposite to the parts 13 and 14 is shaped to provide a tapered end 15 which is engaged by a spring pressed plunger 16, preferably in the form of a ball. A coiled spring 17, Fig. 4, bears against the ball and is backed up by a plug 18 whichis threaded into one end of the bar A. Normally the cap B is held in its closed position, as shown in Fig. 1, by means of the screws 12 and 20.

It will be seen from the drawing that the ratchet wheel 8 and the pawl 10 are mounted in sockets or cavities formed for them in the bar 2 of the handle, the wheel being completely enclosed and the pawl partly protected but exposed at its opposite sides. It will also be evident from an inspection of Fig. 2 that when the handle is rotated in a clockwise direction, the engagement of the pawlwith the wheel 8 will compel the shaft 4 to rotate in unison with the handle. When, however, the handle is turned in a counter-clockwise direction, the point 13 of the pawl can slip back over the teeth of the ratchet wheel 8 due to the action on it of the spring pressed ball 16. The shaft 4, pivot 12, and ball 16 are all located substantially in the same line, sothat when the pawl is swung in a counterclockwise direction iar enough to move it past the dead center, the ball then will snap it into the dotted line position, Fig. 2, where the point 14 will be in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel. The ratcheting action then will be reversed. To facilitate the shifting of the pawl in this manner, the opposite sides of the bar 2 are cut awayfas shown at C and D.

Other tools may conveniently be substituted for the wrench element 5. In some cases these tools will be made integral with the shaft 4, while in other instances they will be separate from it.

In the former event, and when the tool is small enough to slide through the bore of the shank 3, it is sometimes found more convenient simply to take off the cap B, as shown in Figs. 3 and 1, and to slide the shaft 4 with its tool 5 and ratchet wheel 8 upwardly out of the handle and to replace it by another assembly of the same general character. When this cannot be done the toothed wheel 8, which may conveniently consist simply of an ordinary pinion or gear of proper size, may be removably secured to the shaft by a screw 21, as shown in Fig. 5, a

key also being inserted between the upper end I of the gear, if desired. In the latter figure the shows such a shaft equipped with a screw driver 24.

An implement of this character is useful for a great variety of purposes, the ratchet action increasing the speed at which the Work can be performed, and being absolutely essential in many cases. loosening the quoin 7, Fig. l, the ratchet action greatly increases the speed at which the operator can work, although not absolutely essential for this particular purpose. Such a tool as that shown in Fig. 1, however, is useful also in operating socket wrenches where the squared end 5 fits a socket in the wrench, while the other socket fits the nut.

The invention thus provides an-implement which is very useful, particularly because of the ratchet action and the variety .of tools which it will accommodate. At the same time it .is sov J organized that it can be manufactured economically and is not liable to get out of order.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim as new is: 1

In animplement of the character described,

For example, in tightening or" said pawl being movable on its pivot into either of two operative positions, a. spring pressed plunger in said bar acting on said pawl to hold it yielding-1y in either of said positions but yieldable to permit the pawl to be moved from one position to the other, the main and cap portions of said bar cooperating to house said wheel, pawl and plunger when the cap is in its closed position, and a. tool carried by the end of said shaft opposite to said ratchet wheel.

OLA-F C. WIEDEMANN. 

